Greg Laurie - Facing Your Giants

January 10, 2025 | S25:E9

Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Facing Your Giants | January 10, 2025
  • Greg laurie: your battle that you're fighting,
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  • Your challenges that you're facing,
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  • Your temptations that you're experiencing, listen to this:
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  • The battle belongs to the lord.
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  • ♪ this is the day, the day where life begins ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, the day where life begins ♪♪
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  • Greg: you know, we all have giants that we face in life.
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  • What do i mean by a giant?
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  • I mean what appears to be an insurmountable problem, issue,
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  • Or difficulty; something that may be dark and sinister
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  • Prowling around the perimeter of your life, or some challenge,
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  • Or difficulty that you don't see ever been resolved.
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  • There's all kinds of giants we face in life.
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  • There's like the giant of fear,
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  • Something that's frightening you right now.
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  • Is there something like that, something that when you think
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  • About it your heart just kind of grip with panic?
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  • And maybe it's what's going to come your way,
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  • Maybe it's problems you're having at home,
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  • But there's something you're deeply afraid of.
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  • Or maybe you're just sort of a worrywart.
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  • "what if this happens?
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  • What if that happens?"
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  • It's not even a rational fear, but it's real nonetheless.
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  • Or it might be a giant of some kind of a personal sin,
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  • A certain area in your life where you are weak,
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  • A sin that you fall into over and over and over again.
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  • You'll have victory over it for a few weeks, sometimes
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  • Even a month, but then it comes back with a vengeance.
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  • It might be pride, or envy, or gluttony, or pornography,
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  • Or drinking, or drugs, or something like that;
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  • But it's a giant that taunts you day in and day out.
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  • I want to tell you how you can overcome your giant, how you can
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  • Defeat your giant; and to do that i'm going to
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  • A very familiar story, the story of david and goliath.
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  • Hebrews 11, look at that with me, if you would.
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  • Verse 32, "what more can i say?
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  • For the time would fail me to tell of gideon and barak and
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  • Samson and jephthah, also of david and of samuel
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  • And the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms,
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  • Worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths
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  • Of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge
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  • Of the sword, out of weakness they were made strong,
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  • And they became valiant in battle.
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  • They turned to fight the armies of the aliens.
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  • Women received their dead raised to life again."
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  • David stands out in scripture.
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  • Fascinating thing that not a lot of ink is given to david in
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  • Hebrews 11, but in other passages there's so much
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  • About him, especially in the old testament.
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  • But also he's mentioned so many times in the new testament as
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  • A point of reference, really remembered as the greatest king
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  • In the history of israel, and it's worth noting that
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  • Jesus christ himself said he was the son of david
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  • On more than one occasion.
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  • David, a man of contrasts.
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  • He was a warrior, and he was a worshiper.
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  • Sometimes people say, "i'm a lover, not a fighter."
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  • David was both.
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  • He was a fighter.
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  • He was a lover.
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  • He was a man after god's own heart.
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  • He was a sinner.
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  • We all know his story well.
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  • 1 samuel chapter 17, we're going to start in verse 40
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  • And read down to verse 51.
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  • And by the way, i'm reading from the new living translation.
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  • Verse 40, "he picked up five smooth stones from a stream
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  • And put them in his shepherd's bag.
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  • Then armed with his shepherd's staff and sling,
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  • He started across to fight goliath.
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  • Goliath walked out toward david with his shield bearer ahead
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  • Of him, sneering in contempt at the ruddy-faced boy.
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  • He roared at david,
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  • 'am i a dog that you come at me with a stick?'
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  • And he cursed david by the names of his gods.
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  • Goliath yelled, 'come over here,
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  • And i'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals.'"
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  • I love david's response.
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  • "david shouted in reply, 'you come to me with a sword
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  • And a spear and a javelin, but i come to you in the name
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  • Of the lord god almighty, the god of the armies of israel,
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  • Whom you have defied.'"
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  • Now look at david's faith.
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  • "today the lord will conquer you, and i will kill you
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  • And cut off your head.
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  • Then i'll give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and
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  • Wild animals, and the whole world will know there is a god
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  • In israel and everyone will know the lord does not need weapons
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  • To rescue his people.
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  • It's his battle, not ours.
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  • The lord will give you to us."
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  • Now notice, "as--goliath moved closer to attack,
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  • David quickly ran out to meet him."
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  • Notice that. he ran out to meet him.
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  • Verse 49, "reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out
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  • A stone, he hurled it from his sling and hit the philistine
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  • In the forehead.
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  • The stone sank in and goliath stumbled, and he fell face
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  • Downward on the ground."
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  • So now david finishes the job.
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  • Verse 50, "so david triumphed over the philistine giant
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  • With only a stone and a sling.
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  • And since he had no sword he ran over and pulled goliath's sword
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  • From its sheath, used it to kill the giant and cut off his head.
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  • When the philistines saw their champion was dead,
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  • They turned and ran."
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  • Wow, what a story and what a victory.
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  • The will of the philistines was broken.
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  • The will of the israelis or the israelites was reinvigorated.
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  • So what do we learn in this story about
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  • Facing our giants in life?
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  • If you're taking notes, here's point number one.
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  • We all have giants.
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  • We all have obstacles.
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  • We all have problems.
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  • We all have challenges.
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  • We all have threats.
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  • We have things that we face that; well, they're just
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  • A lot bigger than us, but i want you to know that whatever
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  • You're facing right now you're not the first one
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  • Nor will you be the last one to face it.
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  • In fact, over in 1 corinthians 10:13 it says, "remember
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  • The temptations that come into your life are no different from
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  • What others experience, and god is faithful and he'll keep
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  • The temptation from becoming so strong
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  • That you can't stand up against it.
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  • When you are tempted, he'll show you a way out
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  • So you will not give in to it."
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  • Everybody has giants.
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  • So having said that, let me also add this.
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  • Though everyone has giants, it is also true
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  • That every giant is defeatable.
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  • Every giant is defeatable.
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  • And by the way, goliath was not always a giant.
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  • Remember, when we say giant, we just mean a really big dude.
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  • Okay? nine feet six inches.
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  • He was kind of a freak of nature.
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  • There weren't a lot of people his size,
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  • But he was a human being and that means he was probably
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  • The biggest baby you've ever seen; right?
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  • And, man, when it came time to change goliath's diaper,
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  • I don't think anyone wanted--
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  • You know, the dad would say, "i'm not--i did it last time.
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  • It traumatized me.
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  • You do it," you know.
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  • And then one day the little--the giant baby
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  • Became a giant toddler.
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  • Man, i would have hated to have seen goliath
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  • In his terrible twos, right?
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  • And then the toddler turned into a young man, and then he
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  • Became an adolescent, and now he's an adult, a massive man.
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  • And i bring that up because giants start small
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  • And then they get big.
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  • Sometimes there are things that we think we're managing
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  • In our life.
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  • Let's take alcohol as an example.
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  • You know, maybe you like to have a drink; you know,
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  • A beer with the boys, a glass of wine with dinner.
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  • It's no big issue for you.
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  • You said you have the liberty. it's great.
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  • But then you found that well, you know, when you get home from
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  • Work you need a drink to kind of relax and unwind and then fast
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  • Forward a little bit while you--now you kind of need
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  • A drink to kind of get up and go in the morning and, well, now
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  • You need a drink to get through the day, and one day
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  • You wake up and you have a problem with alcohol.
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  • In fact, you are a functioning alcoholic, maybe not even
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  • Functioning so well, and you're saying, "how did this start?
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  • How did this take place?"
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  • And it's become a giant.
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  • So it's a problem, and i'll tell you what.
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  • It's a big problem because i've seen a lot of lives
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  • Ruined by alcohol.
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  • I mean, you all know i was raised in an alcoholic home.
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  • Frankly i've never seen one good thing come from drinking.
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  • Okay, not one good thing, but i've seen a lot of bad things.
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  • I saw all the marriages of my mom destroyed.
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  • I know what it's like to be raised in an alcoholic home.
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  • I know what it's like to find my mother passed out on the floor
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  • Night after night and have to care for her.
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  • I've seen this stuff up close and personal, but not just in
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  • My childhood but as an adult.
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  • You know, and a pastor i've talked to people
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  • Who've had issues with this.
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  • It's become a problem.
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  • I know of two pastors in particular that lost their
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  • Ministry because they ended up with a drinking problem.
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  • This is something we have to take seriously
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  • And be very careful of, and here's my approach to it.
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  • I don't want to be under the control of anyone
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  • Or anything but jesus christ.
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  • Nothing else.
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  • The bible says don't be drunk with wine, where there
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  • Can be excess, but be filled with the holy spirit.
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  • So we don't need the spirits, we need the spirit in our life.
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  • But maybe a little thing like that has become
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  • A big thing right now.
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  • "oh, i can handle it," you said.
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  • "it'll never get the best of me."
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  • Well, now it has the best of you and that little problem
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  • Just became a giant.
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  • Or you might be facing a giant of another kind like a
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  • Non-believing husband, wife, or child and you've almost given up
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  • Hope because you've prayed and you've shared with them
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  • And you've, well, nagged them and you've pressured them
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  • And you've done everything you can and they seem to be getting
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  • Worse and further from the lord and you wonder are they ever
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  • Going to come to christ.
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  • So we all have giants, number one.
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  • Number two, david knew the battle belong to the lord.
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  • Do you know that?
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  • Your battle that you're fighting, your challenges that
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  • You're facing, your temptations that you're experiencing,
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  • Listen to this.
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  • The battle belongs to the lord.
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  • Greg: do you know certain friends that you like to
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  • Hang out with that you get along with very well
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  • But they don't get along well with each other?
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  • So if you're having a dinner you say, "well, we can invite that
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  • Person, but if we invite them we can't find a--invite that other
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  • Person because, you know, they always have a conflict."
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  • That's how faith and fear are.
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  • If faith is present, fear is gone.
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  • If fear is present, faith is gone.
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  • When one walks in, the other walks out.
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  • So every day we have a choice.
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  • Are we going to live by faith or are we going to live by fear?
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  • The children of israel came to the brink of the promised land.
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  • They were poised to enter in, but decided--
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  • They decided to send in 12 spies.
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  • I don't think any of them were 007, though.
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  • And ten came back, the majority, with a very scary report.
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  • "the people are huge in the land.
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  • Our adversaries are giant.
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  • We'll be killed."
  • 00:11:42.545 --> 00:11:44.280
  • And then the minority, that was joshua and caleb,
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  • Came back and just said, "everything's big there.
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  • Check out these grapes that we brought back.
  • 00:11:48.851 --> 00:11:50.820
  • But the lord will give us the land."
  • 00:11:50.820 --> 00:11:53.122
  • The people chose to believe the majority report.
  • 00:11:53.122 --> 00:11:56.826
  • The people chose fear over faith.
  • 00:11:56.826 --> 00:11:59.595
  • Look, today you're going to have decisions.
  • 00:11:59.595 --> 00:12:02.231
  • You can react in fear or you can react in faith.
  • 00:12:02.231 --> 00:12:05.601
  • God is bigger than your problem.
  • 00:12:05.601 --> 00:12:08.137
  • And the bible says god has not given us a spirit of fear
  • 00:12:08.137 --> 00:12:11.941
  • But of power, love, and a sound mind.
  • 00:12:11.941 --> 00:12:15.010
  • Something to think about.
  • 00:12:15.010 --> 00:12:16.679
  • Greg: verse 47, david said to goliath,
  • 00:12:20.549 --> 00:12:22.151
  • "it's his battle, not ours.
  • 00:12:22.151 --> 00:12:24.053
  • So the lord will give you to us."
  • 00:12:24.053 --> 00:12:26.422
  • That's why giants defeat us again and again because
  • 00:12:26.422 --> 00:12:29.558
  • We face them in our own strength and we lose.
  • 00:12:29.558 --> 00:12:33.229
  • You know, in ephesians 6 it talks about the armor of god.
  • 00:12:33.229 --> 00:12:36.832
  • So we can prevail in spiritual warfare, talks about a helmet
  • 00:12:36.832 --> 00:12:41.003
  • Of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, a shield of
  • 00:12:41.003 --> 00:12:44.974
  • Faith, a sword of the spirit, and so forth.
  • 00:12:44.974 --> 00:12:47.543
  • But before a word is mentioned about armor, we're told this in
  • 00:12:47.543 --> 00:12:51.981
  • Verse 10: "finally, my brothers, be strong in the lord
  • 00:12:51.981 --> 00:12:54.650
  • And in the power of his might."
  • 00:12:54.650 --> 00:12:56.519
  • In other words, before you do anything else you need
  • 00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:58.854
  • To lean on the lord, you need to trust in the lord.
  • 00:12:58.854 --> 00:13:01.690
  • Alexander maclaren, a great bible commentator, made this
  • 00:13:01.690 --> 00:13:04.894
  • Statement, and i quote: "he who has the holy spirit in his heart
  • 00:13:04.894 --> 00:13:08.798
  • And the scripture in his hands has all he needs."
  • 00:13:08.798 --> 00:13:12.568
  • Do you have your bible with you? grab your bible right now.
  • 00:13:12.568 --> 00:13:15.104
  • Grab it. hold it in your hand.
  • 00:13:15.104 --> 00:13:16.672
  • "he that has the holy spirit in his heart and the scripture
  • 00:13:16.672 --> 00:13:20.042
  • In his hands," he writes, "has all he needs."
  • 00:13:20.042 --> 00:13:24.079
  • You have all you need.
  • 00:13:24.079 --> 00:13:25.447
  • God will never give you more than you can handle.
  • 00:13:25.447 --> 00:13:28.050
  • You'll never be tempted above your capacity
  • 00:13:28.050 --> 00:13:31.554
  • Or capicity, whatever that is--above your capicity
  • 00:13:31.554 --> 00:13:36.192
  • Or capacity to resist.
  • 00:13:36.192 --> 00:13:40.362
  • So it's god's strength that we need to lean on,
  • 00:13:40.362 --> 00:13:43.833
  • And david cites it in verse 47.
  • 00:13:43.833 --> 00:13:46.001
  • "so everyone will know the lord does not need weapons
  • 00:13:46.001 --> 00:13:48.671
  • To rescue his people.
  • 00:13:48.671 --> 00:13:50.072
  • It's his battle, not ours.
  • 00:13:50.072 --> 00:13:51.507
  • The lord will give you to us."
  • 00:13:51.507 --> 00:13:54.243
  • Listen, we're in a spiritual battle, and if you want to win
  • 00:13:54.243 --> 00:13:58.214
  • The spiritual battle you got to use spiritual weapons.
  • 00:13:58.214 --> 00:14:01.083
  • You got to fight fire with fire.
  • 00:14:01.083 --> 00:14:03.319
  • You say, "well, what do you mean?"
  • 00:14:03.319 --> 00:14:04.653
  • Well, look, we have two secret weapons in our arsenal
  • 00:14:04.653 --> 00:14:07.223
  • As christians that we rarely use.
  • 00:14:07.223 --> 00:14:09.758
  • What do you think they are?
  • 00:14:09.758 --> 00:14:11.727
  • "boycott and protest." no.
  • 00:14:11.727 --> 00:14:14.797
  • "register and vote."
  • 00:14:14.797 --> 00:14:16.198
  • There is a place for that for sure, but that's not even it.
  • 00:14:16.198 --> 00:14:19.268
  • How about this?
  • 00:14:19.268 --> 00:14:20.636
  • Pray and preach.
  • 00:14:20.636 --> 00:14:22.638
  • Pray and preach. pray and preach the gospel.
  • 00:14:22.705 --> 00:14:26.308
  • So here's the thing.
  • 00:14:26.308 --> 00:14:28.010
  • You--maybe you have fear.
  • 00:14:28.010 --> 00:14:29.445
  • You're overwhelmed.
  • 00:14:29.445 --> 00:14:30.880
  • "i don't know how we're going to deal with this."
  • 00:14:30.880 --> 00:14:32.214
  • Pray about it.
  • 00:14:32.214 --> 00:14:33.682
  • Turn your worries into prayers.
  • 00:14:33.682 --> 00:14:36.886
  • The bible says in philippians don't worry about anything but
  • 00:14:36.886 --> 00:14:40.489
  • Pray about everything, and the peace of god that passes
  • 00:14:40.489 --> 00:14:43.626
  • All human understanding will guard your heart and mind
  • 00:14:43.626 --> 00:14:46.929
  • In christ jesus.
  • 00:14:46.929 --> 00:14:48.497
  • So this is how you approach a giant.
  • 00:14:48.497 --> 00:14:50.900
  • And by a giant, again, an obstacle, a problem,
  • 00:14:50.900 --> 00:14:53.302
  • A challenge, a temptation, an addiction, whatever.
  • 00:14:53.302 --> 00:14:55.704
  • Look at it in the light of god.
  • 00:14:55.704 --> 00:14:58.173
  • Don't look at god in the light of your giant, look at your
  • 00:14:58.173 --> 00:15:00.910
  • Giant in the light of god.
  • 00:15:00.910 --> 00:15:02.311
  • Guess what?
  • 00:15:02.311 --> 00:15:03.679
  • God's bigger than your giant and god can defeat
  • 00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:06.649
  • Your giant because greater is he that is in you
  • 00:15:06.649 --> 00:15:09.251
  • Than he that is in this world.
  • 00:15:09.251 --> 00:15:13.522
  • In the lord's prayer, which is really a template for all
  • 00:15:13.522 --> 00:15:16.592
  • Prayer, jesus said, "after this manner therefore pray."
  • 00:15:16.592 --> 00:15:20.729
  • In other words, this isn't just a great prayer to pray,
  • 00:15:20.729 --> 00:15:23.165
  • Though it is.
  • 00:15:23.165 --> 00:15:24.566
  • There's nothing wrong at all with praying,
  • 00:15:24.566 --> 00:15:26.702
  • "our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.
  • 00:15:26.702 --> 00:15:29.004
  • Your kingdom come," and so forth.
  • 00:15:29.004 --> 00:15:30.873
  • But really it's a model for prayer.
  • 00:15:30.873 --> 00:15:32.841
  • So jesus says, "when you pray, pray this way.
  • 00:15:32.841 --> 00:15:36.278
  • Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.
  • 00:15:36.278 --> 00:15:38.781
  • Your kingdom come.
  • 00:15:38.781 --> 00:15:40.182
  • Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
  • 00:15:40.182 --> 00:15:43.218
  • Then he says, "and pray, 'give us this day our daily bread.'"
  • 00:15:43.218 --> 00:15:46.855
  • Now, if we wrote the lord's prayer, it would be, "our
  • 00:15:46.855 --> 00:15:48.958
  • Father who art in heaven, give us this day our daily bread.
  • 00:15:48.958 --> 00:15:51.226
  • God, how are you doing?
  • 00:15:51.226 --> 00:15:52.828
  • Good to see you. here's what i need."
  • 00:15:52.828 --> 00:15:54.697
  • But jesus says, no, don't pray that way.
  • 00:15:54.697 --> 00:15:57.666
  • When you pray, stop and contemplate
  • 00:15:57.666 --> 00:15:59.802
  • The awesomeness of god.
  • 00:15:59.802 --> 00:16:01.770
  • Stop and worship the lord.
  • 00:16:01.770 --> 00:16:03.772
  • Get your problems into perspective.
  • 00:16:03.772 --> 00:16:06.141
  • Big god, small problems.
  • 00:16:06.141 --> 00:16:08.444
  • Big problems, small god or a small view of god?
  • 00:16:08.444 --> 00:16:13.315
  • "my father who art in heaven, hallowed or honored
  • 00:16:13.315 --> 00:16:17.219
  • Or glorified be your name.
  • 00:16:17.219 --> 00:16:18.687
  • Your kingdom come.
  • 00:16:18.687 --> 00:16:20.222
  • Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
  • 00:16:20.222 --> 00:16:22.624
  • My god in heaven, who happens to be my father, who is
  • 00:16:22.624 --> 00:16:26.328
  • In control of all things, who is sovereign, now here's my need."
  • 00:16:26.328 --> 00:16:30.632
  • Well, immediately it'll change my perspective because
  • 00:16:30.632 --> 00:16:34.169
  • I'm looking at god in his greatness and thus i'm seeing
  • 00:16:34.169 --> 00:16:37.740
  • My problem in its smallness.
  • 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:40.909
  • So it's prayer and it's preaching
  • 00:16:40.909 --> 00:16:42.978
  • To proclaiming the gospel.
  • 00:16:42.978 --> 00:16:45.280
  • In a way it's sort of attack mode.
  • 00:16:45.280 --> 00:16:47.983
  • You know, when we preach the gospel, we are attacking.
  • 00:16:47.983 --> 00:16:51.453
  • You know, we look at our culture and it's so dark and we say,
  • 00:16:51.453 --> 00:16:55.157
  • "how do we change culture?"
  • 00:16:55.157 --> 00:16:56.859
  • You change culture one person at a time, and that happens through
  • 00:16:56.859 --> 00:17:01.497
  • Something called conversion.
  • 00:17:01.497 --> 00:17:03.832
  • It happened to you, it happened to me, and it can happen for
  • 00:17:03.832 --> 00:17:06.835
  • Others where they can become completely different people.
  • 00:17:06.835 --> 00:17:09.838
  • That's why we're so committed to proclaiming the gospel
  • 00:17:09.838 --> 00:17:12.875
  • Here at harvest.
  • 00:17:12.875 --> 00:17:15.010
  • And david attacked his giant.
  • 00:17:15.010 --> 00:17:16.412
  • That's point number three.
  • 00:17:16.412 --> 00:17:18.080
  • Attack your giants.
  • 00:17:18.080 --> 00:17:20.249
  • You know, earlier in the story in chapter 17, verse 25,
  • 00:17:20.249 --> 00:17:24.520
  • One of the israelites says, "have you seen this man
  • 00:17:24.520 --> 00:17:27.623
  • Goliath who has come up?"
  • 00:17:27.623 --> 00:17:29.925
  • In other words, goliath now had crossed the ravine
  • 00:17:29.925 --> 00:17:32.995
  • And now was on israel's side.
  • 00:17:32.995 --> 00:17:35.631
  • So it's not like goliath was just standing in the valley
  • 00:17:35.631 --> 00:17:38.233
  • Of elah saying, "come on down here and fight me."
  • 00:17:38.233 --> 00:17:40.302
  • He was marching right up into the camp of israel and bringing
  • 00:17:40.302 --> 00:17:44.039
  • It right in front of them, and that's how it happens.
  • 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:48.710
  • If you tolerate a goliath, he'll take over your territory.
  • 00:17:48.710 --> 00:17:52.314
  • He'll get right up on your doorstep.
  • 00:17:52.314 --> 00:17:55.651
  • He'll get in your grill, as hans likes to say.
  • 00:17:55.651 --> 00:17:59.488
  • So here's the deal.
  • 00:17:59.488 --> 00:18:01.256
  • Here's how you deal with giants.
  • 00:18:01.256 --> 00:18:03.425
  • You don't back off, you don't compromise,
  • 00:18:03.425 --> 00:18:05.561
  • You don't make deals, you attack them.
  • 00:18:05.561 --> 00:18:08.297
  • You attack your giants.
  • 00:18:08.297 --> 00:18:10.432
  • Look at verse 48.
  • 00:18:10.432 --> 00:18:12.067
  • "as goliath moved closer to attack, david ran out quickly
  • 00:18:12.067 --> 00:18:15.637
  • To meet him."
  • 00:18:15.637 --> 00:18:17.639
  • So you say, "okay, this sounds very nice and spiritual,
  • 00:18:17.639 --> 00:18:21.210
  • But i don't really know what this means."
  • 00:18:21.210 --> 00:18:23.679
  • Okay, let's get practical for a moment.
  • 00:18:23.679 --> 00:18:25.414
  • Let's say you have a problem with drinking,
  • 00:18:25.414 --> 00:18:28.750
  • Or drugs, or pornography.
  • 00:18:28.750 --> 00:18:32.721
  • Deal with it.
  • 00:18:32.721 --> 00:18:34.356
  • So it starts by saying, "i have a problem."
  • 00:18:34.356 --> 00:18:36.925
  • See, as long as you're hiding it,
  • 00:18:36.925 --> 00:18:38.560
  • You're never going to deal with it.
  • 00:18:38.560 --> 00:18:40.062
  • You have to come out and say this to someone you love,
  • 00:18:40.062 --> 00:18:41.997
  • Your husband, your wife, your mom, your dad, your pastor,
  • 00:18:41.997 --> 00:18:45.467
  • A trusted friend, "i have a problem with drinking.
  • 00:18:45.467 --> 00:18:48.137
  • I have a problem with drugs."
  • 00:18:48.137 --> 00:18:49.938
  • These are not autobiographical statements, by the way.
  • 00:18:49.938 --> 00:18:53.475
  • Someone's going to edit this and just put it out in the internet
  • 00:18:53.475 --> 00:18:56.311
  • Somewhere just saying that and--with no explanation.
  • 00:18:56.311 --> 00:18:59.615
  • Okay, so are--you know, "i have this issue."
  • 00:18:59.615 --> 00:19:02.851
  • Okay, call it what it is. it's not just a problem.
  • 00:19:02.851 --> 00:19:05.754
  • That's a sin. you're dealing with this sin.
  • 00:19:05.754 --> 00:19:08.223
  • You're under the power of this sin.
  • 00:19:08.223 --> 00:19:10.259
  • So you need to bring it into the light of day
  • 00:19:10.259 --> 00:19:12.528
  • So you can start being dealt with.
  • 00:19:12.528 --> 00:19:14.863
  • Get it out of the shadows of darkness where it is lurked into
  • 00:19:14.863 --> 00:19:18.066
  • The light of day, and that brings into point number four.
  • 00:19:18.066 --> 00:19:20.836
  • Finish your giant off.
  • 00:19:20.836 --> 00:19:22.971
  • So you attack your giant and you finish him off.
  • 00:19:22.971 --> 00:19:26.108
  • Though goliath fell, he was still alive.
  • 00:19:26.108 --> 00:19:28.844
  • Now think about this.
  • 00:19:28.844 --> 00:19:30.746
  • David comes out with his sling, kind of like a slingshot.
  • 00:19:30.746 --> 00:19:34.550
  • Really a sling that he had really learned how to use
  • 00:19:34.550 --> 00:19:38.253
  • Because he would fight off predators with it.
  • 00:19:38.253 --> 00:19:41.056
  • He'd put a stone and start swinging it around and get a lot
  • 00:19:41.056 --> 00:19:44.426
  • Of momentum, and then when he released it it was like a guided
  • 00:19:44.426 --> 00:19:47.462
  • Missile, in a way like a bullet.
  • 00:19:47.462 --> 00:19:50.032
  • And it hits goliath, but goliath is a big guy
  • 00:19:50.032 --> 00:19:52.334
  • And he has a helmet on.
  • 00:19:52.334 --> 00:19:54.136
  • But he's done, boom.
  • 00:19:54.136 --> 00:19:55.804
  • And it's interesting he doesn't fall backwards,
  • 00:19:55.804 --> 00:19:57.839
  • He falls forward and he's lying there.
  • 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:00.275
  • Now, think of how many movies or tv shows you've seen
  • 00:20:00.275 --> 00:20:03.879
  • Where the hero kills the bad guy.
  • 00:20:03.879 --> 00:20:07.516
  • He kills him.
  • 00:20:07.516 --> 00:20:09.017
  • The bad guy is dead, then the hero turns his back
  • 00:20:09.017 --> 00:20:12.554
  • To the bad guy; right?
  • 00:20:12.554 --> 00:20:14.156
  • And he's like calling someone or doing something and then--
  • 00:20:14.156 --> 00:20:17.226
  • You know the scene; right?
  • 00:20:17.226 --> 00:20:18.760
  • And all of a sudden the guy just stands up.
  • 00:20:18.760 --> 00:20:21.096
  • He's in the frame all of a sudden, you know, with a knife.
  • 00:20:21.096 --> 00:20:23.465
  • We go, "look behind you, you idiot," you know.
  • 00:20:23.465 --> 00:20:25.934
  • David had seen all those movies.
  • 00:20:25.934 --> 00:20:29.805
  • So he's down, but he's not dead.
  • 00:20:29.805 --> 00:20:33.508
  • So he takes it to the next level, and what does he do?
  • 00:20:33.508 --> 00:20:36.578
  • He goes over, verse 51, grabs his sword from its sheath
  • 00:20:36.578 --> 00:20:42.150
  • And kills the giant and cuts off his head.
  • 00:20:42.150 --> 00:20:46.021
  • David really knew how to get ahead in life, didn't he?
  • 00:20:46.021 --> 00:20:49.124
  • No, seriously.
  • 00:20:49.124 --> 00:20:50.525
  • Okay, now think about this.
  • 00:20:50.525 --> 00:20:51.960
  • Goliath was big.
  • 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:53.328
  • He had a big neck, and he had a big sword.
  • 00:20:53.328 --> 00:20:55.664
  • So david pulls it up probably with both hands.
  • 00:20:55.664 --> 00:20:58.767
  • Goes over him and he probably--it didn't just come
  • 00:20:58.767 --> 00:21:01.403
  • Off all at once.
  • 00:21:01.403 --> 00:21:02.771
  • He probably had to chop.
  • 00:21:02.771 --> 00:21:05.540
  • You saying, "greg, this is so sickening."
  • 00:21:05.540 --> 00:21:09.444
  • It's in the bible.
  • 00:21:09.444 --> 00:21:13.215
  • He had to chop his head off.
  • 00:21:13.215 --> 00:21:16.785
  • Here's your choice.
  • 00:21:16.785 --> 00:21:18.954
  • Kill your giant or your giant will kill you.
  • 00:21:18.954 --> 00:21:22.557
  • Marginalize it, justify it so you can handle it.
  • 00:21:22.557 --> 00:21:25.894
  • That giant's coming back for more, man.
  • 00:21:25.894 --> 00:21:28.997
  • So cut its head off.
  • 00:21:28.997 --> 00:21:30.899
  • You kill them or they'll kill you.
  • 00:21:30.899 --> 00:21:33.769
  • And david used goliath's sword to kill goliath.
  • 00:21:33.769 --> 00:21:37.306
  • There would be no comebacks for goliath.
  • 00:21:37.306 --> 00:21:39.641
  • So what does this mean?
  • 00:21:39.641 --> 00:21:41.510
  • Practically it means you burn your bridges.
  • 00:21:41.510 --> 00:21:44.279
  • Let's say you have a problem with drinking.
  • 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:46.381
  • What do you do?
  • 00:21:46.381 --> 00:21:47.849
  • Take the booze and pour it down the stinking drain, and don't
  • 00:21:47.849 --> 00:21:51.286
  • Buy any more, and don't hang around people that are drinking,
  • 00:21:51.286 --> 00:21:54.956
  • And don't go to places where you're going to be tempted
  • 00:21:54.956 --> 00:21:57.426
  • Because you know you're vulnerable.
  • 00:21:57.426 --> 00:21:58.960
  • If you have drugs, get rid of them.
  • 00:21:58.960 --> 00:22:00.762
  • "i have a lot of drugs. that's bad stewardship.
  • 00:22:00.762 --> 00:22:02.898
  • I'll sell them."
  • 00:22:02.898 --> 00:22:04.266
  • No. do not sell them.
  • 00:22:04.266 --> 00:22:06.802
  • You will be arrested as a drug dealer.
  • 00:22:06.802 --> 00:22:10.072
  • Get rid of them.
  • 00:22:10.072 --> 00:22:11.573
  • Throw them out. burn your bridges.
  • 00:22:11.573 --> 00:22:14.876
  • What about if you have an issue with pornography?
  • 00:22:14.876 --> 00:22:16.912
  • Well, if you're viewing it online, you need to take
  • 00:22:16.912 --> 00:22:18.714
  • Practical steps.
  • 00:22:18.714 --> 00:22:22.684
  • Maybe get an internet filter, but those sometimes don't work
  • 00:22:22.684 --> 00:22:25.854
  • As well as one would hope.
  • 00:22:25.854 --> 00:22:27.756
  • Hey, if necessary, get rid of your stinking computer,
  • 00:22:27.756 --> 00:22:30.625
  • You know, seriously.
  • 00:22:30.625 --> 00:22:32.060
  • You know, jesus said, "if your right eye offend you pluck it
  • 00:22:32.060 --> 00:22:35.163
  • Out, for it's better to enter into the kingdom of god
  • 00:22:35.163 --> 00:22:37.866
  • With one eye than to be thrown into hell with two.
  • 00:22:37.866 --> 00:22:41.970
  • And if your right arm offends you cut it off, for it's better
  • 00:22:41.970 --> 00:22:44.506
  • To enter into god's kingdom with one arm than
  • 00:22:44.506 --> 00:22:46.742
  • To be thrown into hell with two."
  • 00:22:46.742 --> 00:22:48.844
  • Now, of course, you know that's not literal, right?
  • 00:22:48.844 --> 00:22:51.747
  • There's a guy with one arm and eye missing going, "don't--"
  • 00:22:51.747 --> 00:22:54.149
  • No, i'm just kidding.
  • 00:22:54.149 --> 00:22:55.784
  • But this is a picture he uses to show that we must take
  • 00:22:55.784 --> 00:23:01.089
  • Radical measures.
  • 00:23:01.089 --> 00:23:02.657
  • In that culture, the right arm or hand was thought of as
  • 00:23:02.657 --> 00:23:05.527
  • The best hand and the right eye was thought of as the best eye.
  • 00:23:05.527 --> 00:23:08.563
  • So here's what it means.
  • 00:23:08.563 --> 00:23:10.098
  • Do whatever you need to do to get rid of that sin
  • 00:23:10.098 --> 00:23:13.368
  • In your life.
  • 00:23:13.368 --> 00:23:14.936
  • And so if it literally meant you're not going to carry
  • 00:23:14.936 --> 00:23:16.972
  • A smartphone around 'cause you view junk on it, then get
  • 00:23:16.972 --> 00:23:20.242
  • An old school phone that actually just makes phone calls.
  • 00:23:20.242 --> 00:23:23.445
  • What an evolutionary thought.
  • 00:23:23.445 --> 00:23:24.980
  • I mean, there might be practical steps.
  • 00:23:24.980 --> 00:23:26.581
  • Hey, if you're married, tell your wife what your passwords
  • 00:23:26.581 --> 00:23:29.718
  • Are so she can access your account.
  • 00:23:29.718 --> 00:23:31.753
  • Be upfront about it.
  • 00:23:31.753 --> 00:23:34.189
  • Make yourself accountable to someone.
  • 00:23:34.189 --> 00:23:35.824
  • If you're single, say, "i have a--i've struggled here.
  • 00:23:35.824 --> 00:23:38.627
  • You can look at my phone.
  • 00:23:38.627 --> 00:23:40.195
  • You can look on my computer anytime you want.
  • 00:23:40.195 --> 00:23:42.597
  • Hold me to account."
  • 00:23:42.597 --> 00:23:44.566
  • You have to deal with these issues in a practical,
  • 00:23:44.566 --> 00:23:47.068
  • Upfront way.
  • 00:23:47.068 --> 00:23:49.738
  • And so david did that exactly, and he cut off the head of
  • 00:23:49.738 --> 00:23:53.275
  • His giant and this gave courage to the rest of the israeli army
  • 00:23:53.275 --> 00:23:59.314
  • That then attacked their enemies.
  • 00:23:59.314 --> 00:24:02.217
  • And, you know, in the same way that they shared in the victory
  • 00:24:02.217 --> 00:24:06.254
  • Of david, we share in the victory of jesus.
  • 00:24:06.254 --> 00:24:11.860
  • Greg: maybe god has spoken
  • 00:24:15.464 --> 00:24:17.599
  • To your heart and you have seen your need for jesus christ.
  • 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:22.370
  • Jesus christ is the son of god who came from heaven
  • 00:24:22.370 --> 00:24:26.308
  • To this earth.
  • 00:24:26.308 --> 00:24:27.809
  • He was born in a manger, he died on cross,
  • 00:24:27.809 --> 00:24:31.179
  • He rose again from the dead; why?
  • 00:24:31.179 --> 00:24:33.448
  • Because he loves you and he wants a relationship with you.
  • 00:24:33.448 --> 00:24:37.085
  • Listen, i'm not talking about religion.
  • 00:24:37.085 --> 00:24:39.154
  • I don't wanna be a religious person,
  • 00:24:39.154 --> 00:24:41.156
  • I don't think you wanna be one either,
  • 00:24:41.156 --> 00:24:43.091
  • I'm talking about relationship with god.
  • 00:24:43.091 --> 00:24:46.428
  • Jesus who died and rose again stands at the door of your life
  • 00:24:46.428 --> 00:24:50.999
  • And he knocks and he says, "if you'll hear his voice
  • 00:24:50.999 --> 00:24:53.802
  • And open the door, he will come in."
  • 00:24:53.802 --> 00:24:56.004
  • Question:
  • 00:24:56.004 --> 00:24:57.506
  • Have you asked jesus christ to come and live inside of you?
  • 00:24:57.506 --> 00:25:00.242
  • You might say, "well, i think so, i'm not sure."
  • 00:25:00.242 --> 00:25:02.410
  • Hey, if someone moved into your house in the middle
  • 00:25:02.410 --> 00:25:04.613
  • Of the night, do you think you would be aware of it?
  • 00:25:04.613 --> 00:25:07.516
  • I'm sure you would.
  • 00:25:07.516 --> 00:25:09.251
  • And in the same way, if christ has come to live inside of you,
  • 00:25:09.251 --> 00:25:12.087
  • You will know, and if you don't know,
  • 00:25:12.087 --> 00:25:14.656
  • Maybe he has not come in yet, he's just a prayer away.
  • 00:25:14.656 --> 00:25:18.460
  • All you need to do is say, "jesus, i want this relationship
  • 00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:22.030
  • With you, i want you to forgive me of my sin,
  • 00:25:22.030 --> 00:25:24.866
  • I wanna go to heaven when i die."
  • 00:25:24.866 --> 00:25:27.402
  • Would you like to do that?
  • 00:25:27.402 --> 00:25:28.970
  • Would you like christ to come into your life?
  • 00:25:28.970 --> 00:25:30.906
  • If so, why don't you just pray the simple prayer with me.
  • 00:25:30.906 --> 00:25:34.242
  • You can pray it out loud or you can pray it in the quietness
  • 00:25:34.242 --> 00:25:37.512
  • Of your heart.
  • 00:25:37.512 --> 00:25:38.847
  • But this is a prayer where you're asking jesus christ
  • 00:25:38.847 --> 00:25:41.316
  • To be your savior and lord, pray this with me now.
  • 00:25:41.316 --> 00:25:44.853
  • "lord jesus, i know that i'm a sinner,
  • 00:25:44.853 --> 00:25:48.123
  • But i know that you're the savior.
  • 00:25:48.123 --> 00:25:50.525
  • Who died on the cross for my sin and rose again from the dead.
  • 00:25:50.525 --> 00:25:54.729
  • Now come into my life.
  • 00:25:54.729 --> 00:25:56.998
  • I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
  • 00:25:56.998 --> 00:26:01.336
  • Thank you for hearing this prayer
  • 00:26:01.336 --> 00:26:03.872
  • And answering this prayer.
  • 00:26:03.872 --> 00:26:05.707
  • In jesus's name, amen."
  • 00:26:05.707 --> 00:26:08.109
  • Did you just pray that prayer with me?
  • 00:26:08.109 --> 00:26:10.812
  • If so, i want you to know in the authority of scripture that
  • 00:26:10.812 --> 00:26:13.882
  • Christ himself has come to live inside of you.
  • 00:26:13.882 --> 00:26:17.152
  • And i would love to send to you, at no charge,
  • 00:26:17.152 --> 00:26:19.621
  • "the new believer's bible." it's a very friendly translation of
  • 00:26:19.621 --> 00:26:23.592
  • The new testament you'll find very understandable, and it's
  • 00:26:23.592 --> 00:26:26.995
  • Filled with hundreds of notes that i wrote that will encourage
  • 00:26:26.995 --> 00:26:30.832
  • You in this commitment you've just made to follow jesus.
  • 00:26:30.832 --> 00:26:34.235
  • And let me be the first to say to you, "congratulations
  • 00:26:34.235 --> 00:26:37.138
  • And welcome to the family of god."
  • 00:26:37.138 --> 00:26:41.409
  • Greg: harvest has a special gift for you today: an
  • 00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:48.350
  • Opportunity to set up a will or a living trust
  • 00:26:48.350 --> 00:26:52.320
  • Completely free of charge.
  • 00:26:52.320 --> 00:26:54.556
  • Here's how you can learn more.
  • 00:26:54.556 --> 00:26:56.891
  • Greg: i'm excited to announce that here at harvest
  • 00:26:56.958 --> 00:26:59.294
  • We partnered with our friends at freewill.
  • 00:26:59.294 --> 00:27:02.797
  • Freewill is an easy to use estate planning tool
  • 00:27:02.797 --> 00:27:05.600
  • That allows you to make planned gifts to organizations
  • 00:27:05.600 --> 00:27:08.803
  • Of your choice.
  • 00:27:08.803 --> 00:27:10.271
  • It's a creative opportunity to support the work we're doing
  • 00:27:10.271 --> 00:27:13.508
  • Here at harvest ministries.
  • 00:27:13.508 --> 00:27:15.210
  • So as you make your plans, i hope you'll consider
  • 00:27:15.210 --> 00:27:18.079
  • Investing in this ministry so we can continue
  • 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:21.116
  • To preach the gospel and teach the word of god
  • 00:27:21.116 --> 00:27:23.752
  • For years to come.
  • 00:27:23.752 --> 00:27:25.086
  • You can learn more at freewill.com/harvest.
  • 00:27:25.086 --> 00:27:29.010